


Welcome to Wonderland

by georgieP



Category: A.C.E (Beat Interactive Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Magic AU, Wonderland, dongjun if you squint, some description of violence and vomiting at some point, vague wowson
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-08
Updated: 2018-09-04
Packaged: 2019-05-19 13:57:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14875055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/georgieP/pseuds/georgieP
Summary: In the land forgotten by the sun, something brighter glows. Devoid of the natural magic found in forests and on starry nights, humans began to find something equal within themselves. When driven to the edge of sanity, they found fairytales within themselves. But as magic began to spread and grow, the few noblemen of the underground found themselves threatened by this new power. A power they could not themselves wield. Barely a generation after it’s discovery, magic was outlawed, and all those who practiced it found themselves at risk of imprisonment.





	1. Chapter 1

"2 glimmers for a star, 6 for a bottle of moonlight"

 

Miles under the earth’s surface lies a haunted land. A city of homes carved out of the rough bedrock, surrounded on all sides by forests of stalactites. It is down here that earth's lowest creatures live. Surviving day by day on bread traded for with jars of oil and gems and clay. Down here the world revolves around the mines, the blacksmith shop, the stonemasons. The children are taught to revere the surface dwellers, the 'bringers of light'. They provide wheat for bread, vegetables for soup, and, if you are very lucky, sweet fruit.

 

Over a hundred years ago, humans discovered the precious jewels and stones that could only be found under the earth's surface. At the sight of the sparkling stones, the kings of the land developed a great greed. They ordered mines to be opened, and then expanded, and expanded again, until the network of tunnels and caverns were so extensive that they became a city themselves. But the king didn't stop there. He ordered more people to work longer hours, until the miner's families began to move into the tunnels themselves, creating a makeshift kingdom in carved out hollows of stone. Over the years the city grew and became more refined, eventually having its own palace and architecture carved from marble that could rival rome itself.

 

In the land forgotten by the sun, something brighter glows. Devoid of the natural magic found in forests and on starry nights, humans began to find something equal within themselves. When driven to the edge of sanity, they found fairytales within themselves. But as magic began to spread and grow, the few noblemen of the underground found themselves threatened by this new power. A power they could not themselves wield. Barely a generation after it’s discovery, magic was outlawed, and all those who practiced it found themselves at risk of imprisonment. 

 

* * *

 

The street is dimly lit by the soft orange of flickering oil lamps that are still seen in some of the older parts of the outer city, the inner city being powered by electricity. While there it is bright with the fluorescent beams, here you drown in shadows. The street turns, and twists again, and then you see it up ahead. A nondescript building, pale blue writing on a rare wooden sign. The writing is framed by white roses, interwoven with a single black spade.

 

_ ACE of Spades tea party _

 

Pushing open the door, you make your way into the incredibly ordinary tea shop. There are a dozen or so round tables, each with its own set of chairs. The backs are decorated with faded fabric in a variety of patterns. The shop is served by a long counter at one end; kettles whistling and a floor to ceiling shelf lined with every flavor of tea. There is a delicate vanilla cake on display under a crystal dome.

 

There are half a dozen open tables, but you do not idle here. Instead you pass through the shop as an apparition, and disappear into the darkness of the back hallway. You pass the guest bathroom, the storage closet, and still you continue forward. The hallway stretches ahead of you, making each step you take feel like five. After an eternity, you reach the end of the hall. Here there is a plain door with a thin card tacked on with nails.

 

WONDERLAND

 

You reach out to touch it, but it swings open before you can feel it’s rough edges. 

 

Inside you find a room full of splendor. There are countless antiques spilling off tables and crawling across the floor everywhere you turn. There is a shelf that reaches up to the ceiling lined with colorful bottles, each sealed with wax in an equally vibrant color. Another is heavy with jars in all shapes and sizes, and filled with the oddest combination of stuffs. You see one with petals wrapped around a crystal; another is filled nearly to the top with dark sand, where you can see a shiny white tooth perched just under the lid. A bronze parrot perches on a clock, and you swear it’s eyes follow you as you walk through the aisles. At the table in the corner, a chess board sits untouched. It’s pieces play themselves in a game that will never end.

 

Turning the corner, you see a counter at the far end of the room. The counter, and the shelves behind it, are encrusted with precious jewels made into amulets of all shapes and sizes. A few of them glow softly, and at least one of them is producing an eerie mist. Beside the counter is yet another shelf, this one crammed to bursting with books. Old tomes and new parchment crisscrossed and patterned with symbols and dead languages. You are distracted from your investigation of a particularly heavy volume by a flicker of fabric from the corner. Tucked away, nearly behind the spiral iron staircase, is a deep purple tent. 

 

Finding the door, you push aside fabric to find yourself floating in a galaxy. The midnight walls are dotted with a thousand stars, forming constellations of the creator’s design. A voice calls out to you, grounding you back on earth. You did not see him there before, but there is a man sitting at a black table in front of you. He gestures for you to take a seat, and just when you are about to ask him where you are to sit, for you see no other chair, one appears. Melting out of the umbra like ink itself, and you half expect it to melt when you lower yourself down. Seated, you turn back to the man, and he gestures with his hand. Laid out in front of him are a deck of cards, a silver chain topped with a rounded purple stone, and a shallow bowl of silvery water. They were not there a moment ago, but you do not question it. Something whispers for you to choose the cards. Before you can voice your decision, the man nods and picks up the deck. He does not ask you for your question, he already knows. 

 

He shuffles his cards, and you watch his delicate hands dance. His movements are swift, practiced, as he lays out card after card in an elaborate pattern. Then, one by one, he flips them over. He nods again, as if this is what he expected, but you cannot read the complex language of cups and coins. But the man is patient, and takes his time to tell you their story. When he is done, you get up to leave, as you are parting the curtain you realize you forgot to thank him and you turn back, but the man is gone. The stars have gone dark.

 

You leave through the tea shop, and as you make your way down the dimly lit street, you cannot shake the feeling that you have forgotten something. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A cup of tea, a collection of books, and new beginnings.

The vastness of the cavern echoed around him, threatening to wash Jun away with the realization of his smallness. Having been raised in a tiny mining cavern on the outskirts of the underground, he wasn’t used to such wide open spaces. He felt as though the ceiling above him must surely be the sky. Where at home there had been one courtyard with houses ringing it in three tiers to the ceiling, here streets crisscrossed each other for farther than he could see; when he examined the walls on the outskirts, he found the buildings climbing higher than he could count. 

 

Jun had been raised by his parents, a stereotypical mining couple, like any other boy in a mining cavern. He had spent his days working deep in the tunnels, gathering the ore and raw rock that was his cavern’s export. Their means to life. But while other boys had returned from the mines to play sport and tell stories in the courtyard, Jun had hidden away a dangerous secret. In the hours after everyone had gone to sleep, Jun had poured over books and paper, teaching himself first to read, and then absorbing all he could. He read books on mining and trading, law and politics. But out of the few books he had managed to procure from traders and merchants, the one he treasured above all was one he could never allow his community to see. It lay there now, under folds of clothing, in the napsack stretched over Jun’s shoulders: a book of magic.

 

It was a dangerous secret, enough to get him killed. But when he had first opened those pages to see the intricate swirls of power made visible, something had turned on inside of him. All at once Jun’s life had seemed so clear. He had spent hours deciphering that first page alone, and years understanding the rest. By the age of 14 he had considered himself a fairly competent magic practitioner, though he had no one to compare himself to. And therein lay the reason Jun found himself in the grand city. Having exhausted his resources at home, he had saved up his money. Finally, just after his 22nd birthday, he had enough. He said goodbye to his parents, his few friends, and left the cavern.

 

It had taken him nearly a week of walking before he finally made it out of the club district, and days more before he reached the grand city. Never before had he understood just how big the underground was. In his cavern, no one came and no one left, aside from the merchants who stopped by for a day at a time to buy the rough, unadorned rock that the club district specialized in. Jun liked to think his parents were proud of him for this; for being the first person to leave the cavern and go out into the world. In reality though, he knew they felt betrayed and ashamed. People who dreamt of the world beyond the mine were ridiculed, called crazy, and Jun had never had many friends. And now he stood here, surrounded by splendor and excitement and immenseness, and he felt the cold waters of panic rise up in his throat. 

 

Not knowing where to go, he found himself wandering through the stalls of a marketplace. Aromas of bubbling soup and buttery bread wafting through the air. He examined delicate pastries, crisp fruits, knowing well he couldn't hope to afford them. He saw everything with five pairs of eyes, and three stomachs. Looking intently at the baskets being sold by an elderly lady, Jun walked right into the man in front of him. The man stumbled forward, but managed to avoid taking a nasty spill. The box he was holding, however, was not so lucky. The thin black metal hit the cobblestones with a tinny echo and the lid sprung open, spilling books and papers into the street. 

 

“I’m sorry!” Jun exclaimed, bending immediately to help the man collect his belongings. The man in question glanced only briefly at Jun, more preoccupied with hastly scooping his books back into the box. Before Jun could apologize again, the man straightened up and turned away, cramming the last few papers into the stiff tin box. He was gone in the blink of an eye, leaving Jun numb and speechless. He wasn’t at all sure about how etiquette and that sort of stuff worked in the grand city, but surely offering to help someone couldn’t be that rude. Why then, had the man looked so afraid when Jun bent down to help him?

 

* * *

 

Hours later, Jun found himself in a smaller alley. Here the walls closed up overhead, the cavern adorned by a thousand lanterns and candles. A galaxy only seen miles underground. It had taken him nearly the entire day to find his way to this side of town. Relying on snipits overheard from whispered conversations and cryptic messages scrawled onto building corners. He had wandered into the wrong alley more than once on his way here, but at last Jun had arrived at his destination. 

 

Whereas the market he had been in earlier had been bright and brilliant, with ceilings high above painted with striking whites and reds, this market was dimly lit, the low ceiling shrouded in hazy smoke of a dozen colors. Here the air was alive with whispered secrets, hushed conversations. Wary glances were cast his way and people avoided anyone they did not recognize. Jun smiled, feeling oddly at ease. It wasn’t at all like the cavern he had grown up in, where everyone and the neighbors dog knew everything about everyone. In the cavern, Jun had been an outcast, burying himself in a secret bigger than the mine he lived in. No, Jun realized now why the cavern had never entirely been his home. This market lived and breathed secrets. Here, between stalls selling enigmas and conundrums, Jun was home.

 

He spent still more hours exploring the winding pathways that made up the magik sector of the spades district. A bent lady selling tinctures to cure all ails, a man promising riches, and a handful of children offering to read his cards. Jun had never seen so much magic in his entire life, and had never imagined to have seen so much out in the open. It sent a thrill of fear through his blood, and the resulting endorphins made him giddy. 

 

Time passed, and Jun found his eyelids growing heavy. How long had it been since he last slept? Without the regular sounding of the mine bell he couldn’t tell. How long had it been since he arrived in the grand city? The realization of his situation sinking in, Jun made his way to the nearest inn and inquired about rooms. Unfortunately, it was long past last bell, and the inn was sold out for the night. Not one to be disheartened, Jun moved on to the next inn, only to receive the same news. After being turned away from the fifth inn, he resigned to his fate, opting to save his money for a hot scone. Jun counted his blessings that the ceilings were lower here, preventing drafts from building up and cooling the air. He would at least be warm as wandered the midnight market.

 

* * *

 

Jun yawned, blinking away the tears that blurred his sight; A kaleidoscope of colors blended together before coming back into focus. With his feet dragging, Jun made his way to the front of the bookstore, a bell chiming pleasantly on his way out. It had been three days since Jun had arrived, although it was hard to tell without any sort of time keeping device, and two nights since he had last slept. He’d made his way through the spades district visiting shops and markets at night and sneaking sleep in the corners of libraries and bookstores during the day. Now he trudged his way through dusty side streets, following a chicken scratch map etched onto a scrap of paper the lady at the bookstore was kind enough to draw for him. When she had caught Jun huddled over the limited selection of magic books she had hidden away behind the stairs, he had been worried she would throw him out. It was his good fortune that the lady had taken pitty on the weary traveller and had directed him somewhere she said he could find help.

 

Jun wondered if he was too trusting, for all he knew the lady could have directed him to the nearest police station. But something told Jun the path he was walking right now was the right one. Maybe it was sleep deprivation talking, or maybe it was the faint glimmer he felt coming from the lanterns that illuminated the road ahead of him. He squinted at the map and took the next left, walking a few more paces before looking up to find his destination directly in front of him.

 

_ ACE of Spades Tea Party _

 

Jun frowned, he had expected a cafe of some sort due to the name, but part of him had been hoping it was a ruse for something more… magical? Honestly he wasn’t sure what he had been expecting, and at this point he had nothing left to lose anyways. So he pushed open the door and took a step in. 

 

The air inside thick with the aroma of steeping tea. Jun smelled bitter black herbs, creamy florals, and the sharper aroma of mint and citrus. A rare collection of dried herbs in a world where plants were scarce. Looking around, Jun saw a few delicately carved stone tables occupied by people of all ages. Ceramic mugs painted with flowers to match the tea that sent steam curling like angel wings against the faces of those who drank from them. For a moment, Jun could have sworn he saw a glimmer of something else in the gossamer curls, but it was gone before he could be sure. 

 

By this time, Jun was running short of cash, but he made his way to the counter regardless. The back wall was lined with shelves that reached up to the ceiling, tins with carefully printed labels lining each shelf with meticulous precision. A man took a tin down from one of the upper shelves, carefully removing it from its perch before backing down the ladder and turning to face Jun. The man jumped, apparently not having heard Jun approach him from behind. He recovered quickly though, and Jun saw his eyes widen just a bit as he set the tin down behind him. The man smiled.

 

“I’ve been expecting you.” He said, his grin wider now, almost cat-like. “Go straight down the hall and it’s all the way at the end. Can’t miss it.” And with that, the man returned to spooning out tea leaves into a small kettle.

 

Jun stood there, unsure of what to do. This was feeling more and more like a trap and his first instinct was to walk out the door and never come back. Screw the grand city, Jun was about ready to give up. But then… again there was that glimmer. Something telling him this was right. Jun turned in the direction the man had pointed.

 

Sure enough, in the corner of the small cafe was a narrow hallway. It was dark, a bit dingy, and not very well maintained. He passed a bathroom, then a storage closet, before finally arriving at a door at the very end of the hall. If he hadn’t known better, he would have assumed it led to the owner of the shop’s private quarters. But the sign on it told Jun otherwise:

 

WONDERLAND

 

Cautiously, Jun turned the handle and edged the door open. Inside he was met with all the wonders of his childhood imagination. A stark contrast to the meticulous order of the cafe he had just come from, this side of the door was a glorious chaos overflowing onto the floor. There were shelves of bottles in a hundred colors, all labeled in the same handwriting as the tins from outside. Still more shelves of amulets and artifacts, pens and paintings. A table in the corner was home to a statue of a raven who’s eyes followed Jun as he passed, and a broken cuckoo clock hung on the wall, forever cursed to chime 4 o’clock. 

 

He was vaguely aware of a young boy watching him from behind the service counter in the corner, but Jun was too caught up in his wonder to really care. He turned away from a shelf lined with shells and bones and caught sight of a corner that he could have sworn radiated light. There, tucked into an alcove between a purple tent and what looked like a jewelers workbench, stood a floor to ceiling bookshelf crammed to bursting with books. Magical tomes and journals, fieldnotes, potion recipes, instructions for spells. The world seemed to fade away as Jun thumbed through page after page of magic lore. A whole chapter on sigils! 

 

His revere was broken by a small cough, and he looked up to see a man standing at the bottom of a spiralled staircase beside the tent. For a second he was confused, then recognition dawned on his face and Jun gasped.

 

“You’re!”

 

“The man from the market?” The man’s eyes glinted with the same look he had had the day Jun had knocked his box from his hands: fear. 

 

“Did you follow me?” His voice was sharp, and Jun winced at the accusation. He was about to explain how he had come here when the door to the cafe opened.

 

“Don’t be mean Donghun, this is our guest.” It was the man from the tea shop again. Jun watched as he made his way over to the man, Donghun, and lazily wrapped an arm around his shoulders. Donghun shot the smaller man a suspicious look, but a hint of a smile played on his lips.

 

“Care to explain Byeongkwan?” The man in question, Byeongkwan, smiled again. Jun was unnerved by how much it reminded him of a cat.

 

“This here is our friend, I’m sorry I don’t know your name yet. I saw him when I was scrying a few days ago. If I’m right, and I always am, you arrived from a mining town a few days ago is that correct?” Jun nodded, this whole situation a bit too much for his sleep deprived brain to process.

 

“My name is Jun,” he said after a moment of silence. Though why he was telling these people his name was beyond him.

 

“Well Jun, you haven’t slept since arriving in the city right? How about it Donghun? We have an extra bed upstairs.” Wait what? This man was offering him a place to stay? They didn’t even know each other! And yet… Donghun appeared to be considering it.

 

“The vision came to you without a question?” Byeongkwan nodded and Donghun hummed in response. “If thats so then he must have been sent here for a reason.” 

 

There was another moment of silence, stretched thin by Jun’s nerves and the too-wide smile on Byeongkwan’s face. Finally, Donghun sighed, “Alright, he can stay here until he finds somewhere else. On the condition that he at least helps out in the cafe while he’s here.”

 

The look of triumph on Byeongkwan’s face could have lit up the room on its own. Jun, meanwhile, should have been feeling put off by the way these men had decided he would stay with them without asking for his opinion. But again, it just felt right. He caught a flash of that glimmer again, reflected in the polished surface of every bottle, every jewel, that occupied this strange hidden magic shop in the farthest corner of a city the sun abandoned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Thank you everyone for your patience~ In the last week I have written the last 2 essays of my degree!!!! I'm so close to being done its terrifying. But anyways here enters our hero! Who are these strange men who've taken him in? What is Wonderland? Will Jun ever get to sleep? Stay tuned for more~
> 
> Scream at me on tumblr @georgiepeorgiepuddininpie


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The jeweller is as elusive as he is eccentric. Jun is determined to learn more about him.

“The colored gems from my father’s shop were my playthings. I learnt to weave precious metals into chains before I knew how to read. I grew up surrounded by their brilliance.”

 

Jun watched Sehyoon from across the dinner table. It had been over a week since he had joined their little family, and while Jason and Chan had opened their hearts to Jun fairly easily, the older members still remained distant. But while Donghun had at least made efforts to get to know Jun, Sehyoon was content to watch the new member from a distance. It was even more surprising, then, that Sehyoon was answering Jun’s questions so readily. As if all he had been waiting for was for Jun to ask. 

 

In the shop, Sehyoon wore a suit made up of a hundred scraps of cloth pieced together, a stout top hat perched on his unruly black hair. He presented to their customers the image of a man driven mad with passion, his jewelers’ loupe never far from his hand. Above the shop, however, he was a different man. When he wasn’t in the shop, Jun had come to expect to find the man curled up in his bed, fingering talismans and reading. Sehyoon continued with his story.

 

“My parents owned a jewelry store, the kind that makes necklaces and rings and earrings and sells them to merchants to trade with the surface. I grew up in that store, watching my father create beauty from scraps. When I was five, my dad decided I was old enough to learn to make things myself. I started by making necklace chains, then eventually I was allowed to work with the gems themselves. By the time I was eight I could make half a dozen pendants a day.

 

At that point in my life, I thought making jewelry was all there was. I hated school, I couldn’t understand how privileged I was to even get the chance to go. This frustrated my mother to no end and she started forcing me to spend a few hours every weekend at the library. So I started reading. For the most part I read books on gems and stones, I absorbed everything to do with jewelry making and the symbolism of precious stones. One day, I was searching in the very back of the library for any books on the subject I may have overlooked when I came across an ancient notebook on amulets and talismans. I had never seen a book on magic before, I had never expected to find one there either. Though, if there’s one thing I have learnt in my life, it’s that there is always magic. You just have to look for it. 

 

I couldn’t risk signing out the book, so instead I started spending more time in the library. My mother was overjoyed, thinking I had finally discovered my passion for learning. She wasn’t wrong, in a way, but she never could have guessed what I was learning in a forgotten windowsill hidden by two bookshelves pushed together. I read that entire book twice, and then I started to experiment. 

 

At first I would bring things I made to the library and whisper magic to them, reading spells and enchantments from the book. Later on I grew more confident in my abilities and I started imbuing magic into my pieces as I was creating them. What people don’t understand about amulets, is that they don’t need a ritual to gain power. Magic is raw, it is not meant to be tamed with rules and lists and steps to follow. The gems speak to me, they show me what they are; the metal whispers what it wants to be. My hands shape them into their design and I tell them of the man I passed on the street, the secret I overheard from two ladies at the market. I teach them about what it is to be human, and I imbed that lesson in their energy. When the piece is done, the intention I have spoken to them carries them into their new life.

 

I could never market my amulets as such when I was at my father’s store, indeed after a while it became dangerous to sell them even as common jewelry. But I couldn’t stop, even if I tried to make a normal bracelet, I was so used to magic by then that it would leak into the gem on its own. Once you learn to hear the stones, you can never hope to drown them out. And in a city surrounded at all poles with stone, there is no silence.

 

I realized then that I couldn’t turn back, but I couldn’t hide all my work under my bed forever without my parent’s realizing something was wrong. So I began selling my pieces at the market on this side of town. We call it the Market of Thorns now, but it didn’t have a name then. Back then the market was still fairly small, and there were police raids regularly so it was pretty dangerous. But I had no other choice. 

 

The first time I met Donghun, he wanted to buy my amulets. He was wearing blue that day, though come to think of it he wears blue most days. But I remember that distinctly because of the yellow pendant he was wearing too. The colors contrasted so beautifully, it really accentuated the glimmer of hope that radiated from the stone. I’ve never asked him, but I’m sure he got it from his mother. Only a mother’s love can create such a powerful protective aura.

 

The first few times we did business, Donghun only bought one or two pieces. He told me of his shop, he had saved up for years and had finally had enough to afford the downpayment. Apparently It was an abandoned brewery that he had been eyeing for years, hoping that no one would buy it before him. I’m not surprised he was the first one to make an offer.  

 

He told me he wanted to sell my amulets in his shop. He even offered to make me his partner, though at the time I had never considered leaving home.”

 

* * *

 

There was a muffled crash, and both Sehyoon and Jun jumped as the back door to the apartment blew open. Purple smoke billowed out, carrying the intense aroma of mint and lemongrass. Through the haze, Jun could see two silhouettes illuminated by a flickering light. 

 

While Wonderland was hidden behind the tea shop, the upstairs apartment also held a secret chamber. The door was inconspicuous, and could have easily led to a bathroom or a closet. Indeed, when Jun had first been invited in he had expected nothing less. What he had found instead was a cavern carved directly into the stone. Being on the very outer rim of the city, there were no buildings behind the shop. It was, therefore, possible to hide rooms and tunnels without their neighbors ever knowing.

 

If the store below was a fairytale, Jun thought the back room must be a myth come alive. The room was easily double the size of the apartment. One corner housed a giant stone hearth used to make potions, while the far end was occupied by a long workbench. The other walls held shelves and boxes and jars of materials. And in the center of the room, arranged in neat plots of soil, were flower beds. Vegetables, herbs, bushes, even trees grew in the back room. More green than Jun had ever seen before in his life. A cluster of giant stone pots held lemon and orange trees; honeysuckles grow in an arch above the doorway. Blood red roses that the queen would give her heart for. 

 

It should have been impossible for most of these plants to survive without sunlight, but they weren’t without sunlight. In the exact center of the room, hovering a foot below the ceiling, rotated a white-dwarf star. It’s blinding light fueled and revitalized the plants, allowing them to thrive even miles below the surface. Although it was wrapped in layers of spells and energy fields to contain the radiation, it was powerful enough to leave a warm tingle on Jun’s cheeks everytime he left the room. As majestic as it was, Jun could infer from stories that the star lighting the back room was probably not big enough to be classified as an actual ‘star’. It was brilliant, but it was faded and shrunken; The memory of a forgotten sun.

 

Jun was drawn from his revere by a figure emerging from the smoke. Donghun wiped soot coated hands down his apron as he walked towards them, leaving streaks of black and green on the already stained brown. He groaned as he sat down and Sehyoon sent him an inquisitive look, one eyebrow raised in silent question.

 

“A little mishap with Chan’s training,” the eldest sighed, “don’t worry he’ll clean it up.” Sehyoon snickered. Although Jun didn’t know the full story, he had come to understand that Chan had run away from home in order to study magic under Donghun. The kid was impossibly powerful, if a bit clumsy. In fact, it was Chan who had made the star that now hovered in the back room. Shortly after he had moved into the apartment a spell of his had gone wrong and he had made the star, by accident, from thin air. Jun was almost convinced Byeongkwan was tricking him, but even he could feel the raw energy that radiated from the kid.

 

Sehyoons eyes sparkled with mirth as he turned to Donghun. “I’m telling Jun the story of how you begged me to help you set up the store.” Donghun huffed, a gentle blush apparent under the smudges of soot on his nose.

 

“I did not beg,” he pouted, and Jun giggled at how childish he looked. Donghun caught his eye and blushed deeper, averting his eyes back to his stained hands. 

 

“But by all means, don’t let me interrupt your story time.” Jun hid his smile behind his hand as Sehyoon looked on in amusement. After a moment he cleared his throat.

 

* * *

 

“So anyways, Donghun basically came to my stall daily begging me to become his partner. But I was a lone wolf; A sole merchant in pursuit of riches, so I refused. Plus I was still living with my parents and I wasn’t sure I’d be able to leave them behind. So life continued like that for a while, Donghun and I became friends, I sold my amulets at the market on weekends, and I worked in my parent’s shop on weekdays. My parents had given up asking me why I was so reluctant to sell my pieces in the shop, I think they thought I was just proud of what I’d made and wasn’t ready to give them up.

 

One day though, there was a particularly bad police raid. They must have gathered together officers from three different stations because they were everywhere. I had set up shop maybe an hour earlier so I had established myself by that time and it was hard to pack up quickly. But I couldn’t leave my pieces behind cause there was the chance the police could have traced the materials used back to my parent’s shop and I couldn’t risk getting them involved. I was panicking, and so was everyone else around me. And we fed off each other until the whole market was in chaos. To make matters worse we could hear screams from around the corner of the ones who had been caught. 

 

Suddenly, Donghun had shown up with a sac and a box under his arm and he helped me scoop all my merchandise into the bag and we ran. I had no idea where we were going but we stuck to the dark alleys and a few shortcuts through buildings until we made it back here. It wasn’t nearly as impressive then, just an empty building full of cobwebs and dusty chairs. Donghun brought me to the back and hid me in the shop, back then it was used as a storage room. I was really grateful to Donghun, he had saved my life if I’m being honest. 

 

I remember looking around Wonderland as it was then, a little damp and not well lit. A thick coat of dust hid the stone walls. I could hear it though, the stone. It whispered to me of the secrets it had seen, and of what it could be. It was then, standing in that shop, that I decided I wanted to be part of that. I wanted to help cultivate the stone into what it told me was possible. What it wanted to be. 

 

I didn’t leave home right away, I knew my parents would be frantic is I disappeared suddenly. So I told them I wanted to move in with a friend, and that we were planning to open up a tea shop together. They were heartbroken that I didn’t want to take over the shop. I think they felt betrayed that I had suddenly lost interest when I had spent my whole childhood dreaming of making jewelry like my father. But it was the best closure I could give them.

 

It took us over a month of cleaning, building, and preparing before we were finally able to open up the tea shop. And it was month’s more before Wonderland was ready for business. It was pretty small then too, since it was mostly filled with my amulets and whatever potions and spell bottles Donghun could make from the little garden we had. It was a long time before we had enough of a profit to start seeking out more intricate items like enchanted artifacts and books to sell. I’m still amazed someday that we were able to pull it off, but there was always something magical about this shop, even before we got to it.”

 

* * *

 

Jun looked between Sehyoon and Donghun, taking in the pride in their eyes. The two shared a small, secret smile with each other and Jun suddenly felt like an intruder. But then Donghun turned to him and smiled wider, his joy infectious and Jun found himself smiling back. These men had invited him into their home, never once asking Jun for more than he could give. And even though he had only been with them for a week, the apartment, and this little family, felt more like home than the mines had ever been.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone~ here's chapter 3! Jun's starting to learn more about his new family, and the circumstances that lead each of them to Wonderland. Tell me what you think! Who are you excited to learn more about?


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New adventures call up unclear emotions. What dangers lurk in the shadows of the Spades district?

Even without customers, Wonderland was never quiet. There was an atmosphere to the room that brought life into everything it encompassed. The spell bottles that lined their shelves with such careful placement tinkled like crystal chimes, thought they didn’t appear to be moving. They shivered with the energy imbued into their every component, waiting eagerly for the chance to release their purpose into the world. Sehyoon’s amulets swung in similar fashion, showing off their excitement at the chance to carry out their small missions. Even in the back of the room, where Byeongkwan’s purple tent sat empty, there was a sense of expectation. It was the atmosphere of a library after closing when the librarian reads the notes made in the margins of newly returned books; Of two friends who find themselves on opposite ends of a conflict. Of your closest guarded secret on the lips of a stranger.

 

Beside the tent, the bookshelf groaned under the weight of the knowledge it held. This was Jun’s favorite place. In the corner of the shop, surrounded by books and paper and scripts in a dozen languages. When he stood in front of this shrine or learning, Jun could feel magik seeping into his skin. It oozed out of the pages and bindings, dripping from ink and paint and lapping across his toes where it pooled on the floor. He soaked it in, basking in the warmth it painted onto his skin. If Sehyoon heard the voices of stones, Jun heard song where ever there was ink on paper. It spoke to him, telling their histories and teaching him their lessons. His housemates wondered how Jun was able to read so fast. In truth, Jun didn’t need to read. The books sung him their teachings of their own volition. Having come from a town where books were scarce, Jun wasn’t used to hearing so much all at once. It had taken him over a week to be able to focus on only one voice, drowning out the rest of the clamour with mental blinders. Once he had learnt that trick however, his thirst for knowledge was unquenchable.

 

Jun looked up at the sound of the door opening. He was alone in the shop today, having finally graduated from being “assistant”, as Byeongkwan had so lovingly dubbed him. It had been close to a month now since Jun had first moved in, and he was starting to get used to working in both Wonderland and the tea shop. At the beginning he had needed to be taught everything from handling money to boiling water. Sehyoon had called him hopeless on more than one occasion, but he had slowly begun to gain competence in various jobs. At the very least he didn’t burn the tea anymore. 

 

He watched as a customer peruse the aisles of the small shop, occasionally picking up items to examine the descriptions and usages written in precise script on labels on the back of the bottles. Having finished their browsing, the customer approached Jun at the counter and placed their items between them.

 

“A ‘protect thyself’ bottle spell, turquoise amulet, and a talisman to ward off danger,” Jun sized up the customer’s purchase. “We’re running low on those talismans these days. It seems like suddenly everyone is buying them.”

 

The witch laughed nervously, “Well y’know, with all of the disappearances you can never be too careful.” Jun raised an eyebrow, inviting the customer to continue.

 

“You’re new around here aren’t ya?” They asked. When Jun nodded they looked around, eyes shifting nervously to the tent in the back, then they leaned in over the counter. Their voice was quiet, a rasp, as if they weren’t sure who was listening. As if whatever was causing the disappearance could hear them even there in the shop.

 

“Been happenin’ for some time now, but lately it’s just gotten worse. Witches, young an’ old alike go missin’ without a trace. They’re taken in the dead of night, some say right from their beds. We been callin’ whatsever’s been takin’ them the Jabberwocky.” 

 

Jun shuddered, the name itself seemed to close in on the them. Dimming the lights and wrapping the stones and jars in shadow. The amulets, so jovial not five minutes earlier, hung limp in repressed apprehension. For once, there was dead silence in Wonderland. The customer pulled back, fear glinting in their eyes as they stepped away. Jun quickly rung up the items, packaging them in a brown bag. Placing the money owed on the counter, the customer turned and opened the door, melting away into the shadows of the hall.

 

Slowly, noise returned to Wonderland. Tense, hushed conversations between spells. Urgent whispers in a high pitch from the statue of an owl. In the far corner, Byeongkwan’s tent felt dull. The constellations embroidered on it’s fabric shone with all the light of a dying star. As if the Jabberwocky had slipped quietly behind the shop and wrapped a noose around its throat, leaving even before asphyxiation had set in.

 

* * *

 

It wasn’t until that night at dinner that Jun was able to bring up what the customer had said. The five of them had just finished a meal of bread and stew and tea- Donghun had proved to be a wonderful cook- when Jun mentioned his concerns. He told them, in full detail, what the customer had told him, then looked around for the other’s reactions. Byeongkwan and Chan looked nervous, but sadly accepting of the fact. Sehyoon and Donghun shared a worried look and then turned to Jun.

 

“This… isn’t the first time this has happened.” Sehyoon chose his words carefully, aware of Jun’s ignorance to their normal lives.  “There are disappearances pretty regularly, usually every few months”

 

“It’s never gotten quite this bad though,” Donghun continued, “and never bad enough to warrant our entire stock or protection charms being bought out.” He looked deep in thought for a few minutes. Jun watched as the man seemed to be in internal turmoil, worry and resolve flashing like sparks behind his irises. Jun was about to place his hand on Donghun’s arm when he spoke again.

 

“We’ll start replenishing the stock of protection charms tomorrow morning. Sehyoon, you’ll be in charge of amulets obviously, Chan you’ll help me with spell jars and potions. Jun can you help with talismans and sigil charms?”

 

Jun nodded, happy to have been included in the plans. In his weeks at the shop he had been reading every book he could get his hands on, in addition to observing some of Chan’s lessons with Donghun. While he still hadn’t quite grasped the physical aspects of magik like elemental control, which Chan excelled at, Jun was proud of his extensive knowledge on written magik. Even Donghun had been amazed at how much Jun read in even a single day, and Jun had quickly surpassed Donghun’s ability when it came to sigils and runes. Where the owner of the shop focused his talents on spell bottles and potions, physical manifestations of power and intent, Jun excelled at imbedding his will into writing. Using pen and paper to bring his thoughts and imaginations into reality. 

 

It was fascinating, Jun thought, how the five of them all used such diverse methods of magik. Jun had always had an affinity for written magik, just as Sehyoon had an innate ability to work with gems and Byeongkwan had been born with a talent for divination. Donghyun himself specialized in harnessing the power found in natural elements and focusing them in spells and potions; Chan excelled at harnessing this same energy through his own aura and self. Each style had its own benefits and downsides, and having different talents gave their group a well-rounded pool of knowledge. Where Sehyoon’s practice fell short, Byeongkwan’s was able to fill in the gaps. They complimented each other well, leaving no area weak or incomplete. What chance of fate had lead to the five of them finding their way to each other? 

 

“Byeongkwan,” Donghun continued, “can you try to see what we’re up against? I know it’s difficult for you to read cards for someone you don’t know but anything you can find out about the Jabberwocky would help.” Byeongkwan hesitated, but nodded. They all needed to be prepared for something to happen. 

 

Donghun took a deep breath before he continued with his instructions, “In addition to protective charms, it would be wise if we made simple offensive charms as well. A simple binding spell or bounce back spell would suffice.” The others looked at each other. Jun saw his own worry mirrored in each set of eyes. Donghun hated violence. It was obvious to anyone who had stepped foot in the shop that there was not a single curse or spell that could inflict damage on another. In fact, if Jun was recalling correctly, the most hurtful curse the shop had was one that inflicted nightmares about one’s past wrongdoings. If even Donghun was willing to sell offensive spells- well the whole room instantly felt five degrees cooler.

 

“One last thing. Until this situation is resolved, no one will be permitted to go out on their own, especially at night. I hate to use my authority to control your actions, but for your own safety everyone, including myself, will only leave the shop in pairs or groups.”

 

His tone held an air of finality, leaving no one able to protest. Though given the circumstances, no one disagreed with the idea.

 

* * *

 

As he lay down for bed that night, soft snores coming from the corner where Chan’s arm could be seen hanging off the edge of the top bunk, Jun contemplated the events of the day. He rolled over, staring across the room at the empty bunk where Donghun should be sleeping. The man in question had disappeared into the back workroom shortly after supper, and Jun had no doubt he had already begun working on new spells and potions for the shop. 

 

After half an hour of sleepless tossing and turning, Jun threw his blankets aside. Tiptoeing past the bunk bed, careful not to wake the youngest, he inched the door open and slipped out. As he had expected, steam seeped out from under the backdoor. Jun found Donghun hunched over a bubbling pot in the backroom, brewing what looked to be his sixth batch of protection potion in as many hours. He coughed quietly, alerting the other of his presence as he got closer.

 

“Jun, you should be sleeping.” Donghun spoke quietly, though it was unlikely anyone would hear them from the bedrooms. Jun smiled at the older man, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

 

“I could say the same for you. You should really take a break.” Donghun’s eyes softened, moving the potion onto the counter and wiping his hands on his apron before stepping away from the hearth. He lead Jun over to a pair of chairs, pouring out two cups of floral scented tea before sitting down himself. Jun sniffed at his cup before looking questioningly at Donghun.

 

“Chamomile and Valerian,” Donghun explained, “It has a calming effect and helps reduce anxiety, something I think we could both use right now.” Jun nodded, sipping the warm liquid with a small sigh.

 

“I should sleep,” Donghun said after a few moments, “but when I think about how someone could go missing tonight, I just can’t rest. What if the witch who goes missing had come to us in search of protection, only to find we had nothing to offer?” His eyes wandered to Jun, who sat quietly on his chair. Jun could see fear in Donghun’s eyes, and something else. The look of a man who knows what it’s like to lose everything he loves. The look of a man who is watching this same thing happen all over again. After a moment of eye-contact, Donghun turned away. Jun watched the man frown into his teacup, watched fine wrinkles mar his brow and paint years onto his face. Jun wasn’t that much younger than the shop owner, but sometimes he was painfully aware of how naive he was about this world he had stumbled into.

 

Donghun. He had taken Jun under his wing, given him a home and a place to belong. More than that, he wanted to get to know Jun, he was interested in Jun’s passions and interests. He was kind and handsome and curious. Jun felt a warmth in his chest whenever they spoke, a sense of rightness. Though he wasn’t sure exactly what to call these feelings, he enjoyed them as they came. Everything in this world was still new and a bit scary and he wanted to be able to bask in the warmth without worrying about what it meant for the future.

 

It was so warm. With the glow of the dwarf-star bathing him in a soft heat and the tea warming him from the inside, Jun felt his eyelids growing heavy. Donghun’s soothing voice spoke in soft tones but Jun found he couldn’t concentrate on what he was saying. So preoccupied had he been on his own worries, he never noticed that Donghun hadn’t taken a single sip from his own teacup. Finally, Jun gave himself over to darkness, allowing himself to be swallowed up by its welcomed ignorance. 

 

* * *

 

Donghun felt just a little bit sorry about lying to Jun. It was true Valerian was a powerful sedative, but it’s potency made it more useful in sleeping draughts than anti-anxiety teas. Even if he was a little touched that Jun had come to find him when he could have gone to bed, Donghun would feel worse if Jun lost sleep because of him. 

 

He gathered the younger man into his arms, a little surprised at how light he felt. He wondered briefly if Jun was eating enough. Quietly, he made his way through the apartment to the room he and Jun shared with Chan. Nudging the door closed with his hip, he crossed the room to where Jun’s small bed was pressed up against the wall. He set the man down gently, taking care to pull the covers up over his sleeping figure. He looked down on the man who had been so willing to trust him. Jun really was like a child, Donghun thought, still so unfamiliar with the world around him. Donghun felt a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. On that day they had run into each other at the market, Donghun had felt a magnetic pull towards the man. Since that day, that pull had only grown stronger. For now though, Donghun was content to keep quiet watch over Jun. 

 

He made his way softly back to the door. Just as he was inching it open though, he turned. Jun’s outline was etched against the darker black of the stone wall. Donghun sighed and closed the door. He crept back to his own bed, slipping under the covers and turning to face the wall. He should have drunk the tea after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again~ I hope this chapter finds you all well. A new danger emerges! The plot begins! Who or what is the Jabberwocky? What will happen to the magik district?


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Witches are disappearing at an alarming rate, but what can a group of five young boys do against a force that no one can claim to have seen?

Once again, Jun found himself behind the counter of Wonderland, watching customers slowly file up to him, their arms full of protection charms and the occasional offensive spell. As another customer left Wonderland quiet and another shelf bare of merchandise, Jun heard Sehyoon take up his place at the nearby workbench. The man had recently been spending more and more hours in the store, working late into the night on various protection amulets. 

 

Over the past week, witches had continued to go missing at an alarming rate, with the bodies of past victims beginning to turn up. The employees of Wonderland had responded to this by working around the clock to keep their stock of defensive and offensive spells and charms sufficient enough for their growing customer base. For his own part, Jun had been almost running Wonderland single handedly. As his form of magic required less extensive preparation, and he was able to produce large quantities of sigils and other written charms and spells from his place behind the counter. This allowed more time for Donghun and Chan to prepare more involved spells in the upstairs back room.

 

As he circled his latest sigil in a perfect ring to ground it’s intent, Jun turned to watch his companion at his own workbench. Sehyoon appeared to be occupied with a length of silver, which Jun had learned was powerful in preventing physical attacks. As he watched, Sehyoon twisted the silver wire around a core of Iron, known for its protective properties, in an elaborate swirl that bore the resemblance of a Triquetra. Jun knew that Sehyoon often used sigils and symbols in his amulets to enhance and focus their intent.

 

After a few minutes, Jun returned his attention to the papers scattered across the counter. He had hoped to complete another dozen sigils before his shift was done. Picking up his pen, he began a sigil designed for protection from physical harm. The two friends continued working in silence for another half an hour, until Donghun made his way clumsily down the spiral staircase. The light haired man had barely been sleeping as of late, and the effects were beginning to show in the way he swayed as he took his place behind the counter. 

 

Jun wasn’t entirely sure if Donghun should work his shift, or if he should insist the older man got some rest instead. Donghun however, insisted he would be alright. Before he left, Jun made sure to drag a stool behind the counter so Donghun could at least sit down while there were no customers.

 

Instead of returning upstairs, Jun opted to visit Chan in the front shop and hopefully grab a cup of tea for himself. As he exited into the front shop, Jun made his way up to Chan, the younger boy looking a little put out as he approached.

 

“What’s up?” Jun asked, curious about the boy’s expression.

 

“Well it looks as though we’re almost out of milk… and without milk I may have to close up shop early.” 

 

Jun hummed, it was definitely difficult to sell tea without milk, not to mention the little cakes their customers delighted in so much. Considering their options, Jun looked over at the large window at the front of the shop. It was barely passed one in the afternoon, and the streets outside were brightly lit and bustling with people. Surely he would be safe among them. He voiced as much aloud, but Chan had other thoughts.

 

“You can’t go alone! At least take Byeongkwan with you.” Chan protested.

 

“Byeongkwan has a whole lineup of customers right now.” Jun shook his head, “It’ll be evening by the time he can get away.” Chan bit his lip, torn between being worried for Jun and being worried for the shop. After a few minutes of debate between the two, Chan finally relented. Taking some money from the register and a small list of other things they needed, Jun set out.

 

* * *

 

Byeongkwan let out a tense breath, looking up to watch the back of his customer pushing through the dark purple curtains. He had mere moments before the next one would be in and he would repeat the process he had already been through more than a dozen times today. They came in groups, in pairs, everyone lining up for him to read their futures. They all had the same question: am I next? 

 

Sure enough, he had barely had time to rub at a stubborn crink in his neck before the next lady entered. She was older, with her hair just beginning to turn white. Children, Byeongkwan read in her. And a husband who stays out too late. Just as Sehyoon could hear the songs of stones and Jun spoke with books, Byeongkwan could hear a person’s soul. Their life, their past, all was laid bare to him when he focused on their spirit; their futures he had learned to read elsewhere.

 

He motioned for her to take the seat opposite to him, and gestured to the array of tools laid out on the table. Hesitating only a second, she chose the delicately carved onyx bowl. He pulled the tool closer to him, removing the other items from the table and reached behind him for the crystal pitcher. With calm hands he filled the bowl with water, taking care not to let a drop touch the table. Placing the pitcher back in it’s spot, he turned back to the bowl. He carefully moved it into place in the very center of the table cloth, exactly in the middle of a large pentacle. On either side of the bowl he placed a pair golden candles, their color corresponding to his intentions of divination and protection. 

 

Steadying his breathing, Byeongkwan dipped his fingers lightly into the bowl. Then with his right hand he dragged two of his fingers clockwise around the rim of the bowl. Having completed exactly three circles, he repeated the procedure with his left hand, this time moving counter-clockwise. As his fingers closed the final circle, Byeongkwan’s eyes widened just slightly. To anyone watching, it would be imperceptible. His fingers still hovering over the bowls edge, Byeongkwan’s eyes followed images that flashed in the ripples on the water’s surface. He filtered through mundane events, obvious outcomes, and good endings, looking specifically for what the woman so dreaded to hear. 

 

A scream. Byeongkwan winced, images flooding his vision. He saw blood and darkness and terror, but not for this woman. Which a start he stood from his chair, gasping for breath and sending the water splashing over the sides. With the after-images still lingering in his sight, he ran from the tent, shouting for Donghun.

 

* * *

 

Letting the door swing shut behind him, Jun left the grocer’s shop for the outside air. The unnatural light of the streetlamps shone down on him, illuminating the busy street. His arms full of items piled neatly into a thin metal box, Jun set out for home down the familiar road. As he made his second turn, a light above him popped and went out, sending that part of the street into shadow. Jun frowned, looking around to find that this street was significantly less busy than the one he had turned off of. Quickening his pace a bit, Jun continued forward. As he made his next turn he caught sight of something in the corner of his eye.

 

A man, nearly a block behind him. It wasn’t so much the actions of the man that made Jun notice him as it was his attire. Or at least, he thought it was a man. It was difficult to tell with the person wearing a shapeless black cloak and a full face mask. It wasn’t unusual for people to wear masks when in public, in fact among magic users it was a common strategy to protect oneself from the royal guards. However this mask was unlike any Jun had seen before. It had a large beak sprouting from where the nose would have been. As he watched, the man stopped walking, only to move forward again as Jun continued on.

 

Jun began to walk faster. By the end of the street he was certain the beaked man was following him. He took an abrupt left turn, hoping to lose the man in the twists of the underground streets. A right turn, then a left. Jun glanced behind him to see the man still a few blocks away. Another left turn. Jun was nearly running now, his cargo banging awkwardly against his legs. Another streetlight went out above him. There were footsteps behind him now, echoing dully against the cold stone buildings. He turned into the next street, not paying attention anymore to where his feet were taking him. Only anywhere but here.

 

He came to a stop. Looking wildly around him. Without realizing, Jun had turned into a narrow side street, this one not illuminated by any lamps. And what was worse: Jun had no idea where he was anymore. There was a sound at the entrance to the alley and Jun spun around to see the masked man walking towards him. He cursed his stupidity, whose bright idea had it been to go out alone anyways? He ground his teeth together, breath coming in quickening gasps.

 

When the man was mere feet away, Jun swung his arms out. The metal box flew towards the man’s stomach, milk and other ingredients bursting open on impact. Not staying to watch the aftermath of his attack, Jun turned. He ran into the inky darkness of the alley, focusing only on the small bit of light where it met up with the next street. The light grew in front of him, getting brighter, and now he could see the walls on either side of him. Another few steps and he’d be out.

 

A hand yanked him back, throwing him brutally against a wall. As he struggled, the hand wrapped around his throat, cold metal talons pressing into his skin. Jun fought, prying at the armoured hand. The claws closed around his windpipe and his hand spasmed, sliding uselessly against the metal. One finger caught the edge of the talons and was sliced open. Red drops of blood fell from his skin. Desperately, Jun saw a chance. With trembling hands he reached towards the man, pushing weakly at his chest. A tortured gurgle left his mouth, his lungs screamed for oxygen. 

 

The man was thrown backwards and Jun fell to the ground, a triumphant look on his face as the ‘rebound’ sigil he had smeared onto the man’s chest faded with a golden light. Coughing, Jun pushed against the walls. Before he could move, however, the beaked man was already up. Jun tried to draw a ‘power’ sigil on his own hand, but he was too slow. Again he was slammed backwards, this time the talons coming down on his shoulder. He cried out as the metal sank into it, tearing across his arm with the horrible sound of ripping flesh. Jun kicked out, pushing against the man and rolling sideways. He fought to escape, but everywhere Jun turned to, the man was already there. He kicked, and pushed, and even managed to land a punch on the man’s mask, but to no avail. After an embarrassingly brief tussle, Jun found himself pinned against the cobblestones. Claws dug into his chest and Jun winced, closing his eyes to brace for the next blow.

 

A blow that never came, and Jun felt the weight that had held him down suddenly rise off. There was the sound of bones hitting something solid and he opened his eyes to see the masked man falling to the ground. Struggling to sit up, Jun saw two figures running towards him. They came closer and he recognized them as Donghun and Chan. As he watched, Chan barreled towards the masked man. Chan pushed his hands forward, a blast of energy that could only be described as a supernova erupting from them. The masked man was blown backwards and the building behind him shook, sharpannel raining down. 

 

Turning to look back at Donghun, Jun noticed the man had yet to move from his place near the entry to the alley. He stood, stone still, eyes wide and hands smoking with residue magic. Jun realized that it had been Donghun who had fired the initial blast. Despite all his talk about being a pacifist and not knowing battle magic. But right now, Donghun looked anything but heroic. Jun was taken back by the haunted look in the man’s eyes; he wanted to reach out to him, to somehow reassure Donghun that it was alright. 

 

Jun pushed himself into a sitting position, grunting as he put pressure on his injured arm. At his cry of pain, Donghun was jolted out of his trance. The shop owner rushed forward, falling to his knees beside Jun. His hands hovered over the injured man, not daring to touch him but anxious to know the extent of his wounds. Jun gave him a small smile, tight with pain, and Donghun nearly cried. 

 

As Donghun assessed Jun’s injuries, Chan walked over to them. Jun saw a mixture of guilt and fury written on the boy’s face. Beside him, the masked man was curled into a grotesque position, frozen inside of a prison of stars. The constellation forming both cage bars, and chains.

 

* * *

 

 

Twenty minutes later, the trio left the masked man tied up, this time with real ropes, on the doorstep of the guard’s office. Pinned to his cloak was a letter explaining who the man was, and the circumstances by which he had found himself in this state. The note was signed: W.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I'm so sorry for updating so late T_T End of term kinda snuck up on me and if I'm being honest, I'm still floundering. I managed to write this chapter during my breaks from working on the other reports I have to get done. I hope everyone is doing well! What did you guys think? Leave me a comment or chat with me on tumblr =) Next up: a trip to the past.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nothing good comes from hiding your past, nothing good comes from running from what you wish to forget.

Jun found himself staring through the open door that lead to the back bedroom. He watched as Sehyoon stroked Byeongkwan’s hair, the adoration clear on his face even from across the room. At the sound of footsteps, his attention was drawn back to the couch he sat on.

 

“Byeongkwan is amazing really,” Donghun’s voice was quiet when he spoke. “But having visions unprompted and unaided by a medium is exhausting for him, especially since he’s been using his magic for customers so much in the past few days.” 

 

Jun nodded, his magic was less practical than the younger boy’s and he could only imagine how hard it must be to use such a large amount without a way to harness the energy. He knew that Byeongkwan usually relied on his tarot or scrying bowl to channel his clairvoyance in order to prevent something like this from happening.

 

Jun winced, brought out of his thoughts by a sharp pain in his shoulder. The fight earlier that night had done quite a bit of damage to it, the cuts digging deeper than Jun had originally thought. He was thankful that Donghun specialized in healing magic, or else it would have been a whole lot more painful for him right now. Donghun gave him a worried look as he continued bandaging Jun’s injury as gently as he could.

 

“How did you and Byeongkwan meet?” Jun asked, mostly to distract himself from his pain but he was genuinely curious as well. Byeongkwan, for all his vibrant energy, was very reserved, especially when it came to his past.

 

It was Sehyoon who answered Jun’s question, the former quietly closing the bedroom door behind him as he moved to join the two on the couch.

 

“He met him through me.” 

 

Sehyoon laughed at Jun’s frustrated expression. He hadn’t exactly answered the man’s question. 

 

“Byeongkwan… has had a hard life,” Sehyoon began, holding eye contact with Jun as he sat down. It wasn’t his story to tell, but Sehyoon felt it was important for Jun to know about their stories. He was family now, and nothing good would come from hiding their past.

 

“He was orphaned at a young age, his parents being victims of the war against magic. Byeongkwan was left to fend for himself, begging on the streets for coins or scraps of food to get by. 

 

I was around nine when I met him. I used to feed dinner scraps to the stray cats behind my dad’s shop, and one day when I went out to feed them I noticed a boy huddled in the corner. He had been trying to hide in a little gap between the back of the butcher’s shop and the garbage disposal bin. He was so skinny and pale I decided he must have needed help. Except that he was glaring at me and looked as though he’d run if I took even one step towards him. So I let him be, but I left a plate of food on the steps for him, and not just the scraps I feed to the cats.

 

I expected that to be our only interaction, but a few days later he was back. This time he wasn’t trying to hide, but he still wouldn’t come close to the backdoor, so I left more food out for him and went back inside. I started to look for him every time I went to feed the cats. He wasn’t there everyday, but on the days he was I would smile at him, and every time he would smile a little brighter back.” 

 

Jun could see the stars spinning in Sehyoon’s eyes, memories forming a constellation that dazzled his irises. There was no doubting the love between his two friends, not when it was spelled out in every word, every brush of fingertips on skin. Jun thought it was beautiful. 

 

“Eventually it became a habit to at least leave out some bread, even on days I didn’t see him. And then one day, my father had a large order to fill and my mother had a meeting with the neighbourhood ladies and I found myself eating supper alone. So I brought my plate out to the back door and sat down on a little bench I kept back there for when I fed the cats. Byeongkwan was there that day, I remember how shocked he looked when I suddenly sat down and started eating. 

 

We’d been dancing around each other for probably a month by then and I decided I wanted to actually talk to this boy. It took a few minutes of coaxing, he really is just like a cat, but I convinced him it was safe for him to at least come and sit with me. I had filled my plate extra full that day and brought two forks with me, so I gave him one and told him to help himself.

 

Honestly he probably ate way more than his share, but the look on his face was worth it. I don’t think he’d eaten anything that could be considered a meal in a long time.” There was sadness in Sehyoon’s voice, and pain, hidden in the shadows of fondness and devotion. 

 

“After that night, we would often sit together while I fed the cats, or sometimes we’d walk around the alleys and just talk for hours. It was easy to lose track of time with Byeongkwan. He had nowhere to be, and I was avoiding my responsibilities. We never ran out of things to talk about. Byeongkwan always had a dozen stories of the things he’d seen or the places he’d been. He told me about the markets, about bakeries that would hand out their leftover bread when the day was done, about cats he’d met in all corners of the city. 

 

He told me that he’d never learnt to read, or had any real education aside from learning his numbers from a nice man who ran a fish stall in the west end of town. After we’d known each other for a while he told me about his tarot cards. He never really explained where he got them from, though I suspect it wasn’t by any legal means, he just said that they had called for him. He said the cards spoke to him, telling him stories and anything they felt he needed to know. It was the cards who guided him to my house that first night when I was feeding the cats.

 

He also explained to me how he could read people. How their souls whispered to him of secrets and dreams and hidden hope. He knew I had magic before I had even realized, though he never said anything then. Later on he told me he’d known it from the first time he ever saw me. 

 

“It was Byeongkwan who introduced me to the magik market. He used to sell fortunes there at night time. He said that night is when mystery and fear seeps through the cobblestone, that’s when humans are most in need of reassurance. And for that they turn to those who can read the threads of time, tracing them on a map to guide the human to the least painful outcome. Or at least, that’s how most customers see it. According to Byeongkwan there is no guarantee that what he sees will happen; Even by telling someone what to expect, you can change their actions and therefore, the future. 

 

We saw each other less often after I started selling my amulets at the market. I could only set up my stall during the day, as my parent’s expected me home at night, and Byeongkwan avoided the market until most people were asleep. We still met up nearly every evening after supper though, that was our time.

 

After I was nearly caught during the police raid, I moved in with Donghun immediately. I didn’t even take the time to go home and get my things. I was too scared that if I went home, I wouldn’t want to leave. So I never said goodbye to my parents, but it also meant I couldn’t explain to Byeongkwan what had happened. 

 

Of course, I had told Donghun about Byeongkwan immediately. Donghun agreed that having a corner of the shop dedicated to fortune telling would be profitable and he trusted my word that Byeongkwan was as talented as he is. But we couldn’t find him. We avoided the market for a few days, the market itself had to move locations after the police raid anyways, but even a week later we couldn’t find him. 

 

A few times I nearly went home, just to check the alley and see if Byeongkwan was waiting for me there, but I didn’t. Anyways, I trusted the cards to guide Byeongkwan to where I was if we really couldn’t find him.” 

 

Donghun felt himself slip into his memories. It had been such a long time ago, and yet the colors were as vivid as his memories of breakfast from that morning. Distantly, he heard Sehyoon continue his story, but in his mind he saw the events play out as he saw them that day.

 

Nearly two weeks after Sehyoon moved in, Donghun had been making his usual rounds of the magik market. Wonderland was still barely stocked and they were far from being able to open its doors, so he had been at the market nearly every night, buying enchanted items, charms, books, anything they could sell in the shop. 

 

He had been examining a very curious looking clock, one that he was sure had been tampered with using magic. It was hard to pinpoint exactly what spell had been used, but judging by the paradoxical waxing and waning of the ticks, it was likely an ameratures attempt to create a device that could manipulate the speed of time. Time is a dangerous game, but Donghun knew how appealing that power was to so many people.

 

He had looked up from the clock, expecting to see the stall’s owner waiting for his decision. Instead, Donghun had seen through the back of the stall to the shop wall in front of him. It was a small restaurant, he remembers, advertising battered fish and preserved fruits.

 

In front of the shop was a small boy, though he must have been at least 15. The boy was perched directly on the cobblestone street, his cards spread out before him and his head bent over in concentration. The small child standing opposite the crouching boy had looked nervous, and the boy had given her a reassuring smile, taking her hand as he pointed to this card and then that. Donghun watched as the boy had calmly explained the story he was reading, and when the little girl scampered away, Donghun realized she had never been asked to give payment.

 

Abandoning the clock, Donghun had made his way around the stall until he came face to face with the mysterious boy. He called out a greeting, at which the boy looked up, a smile already on his lips.

 

“Is your name by any chance Byeongkwan?” Donghun had asked. The boy hadn’t answered, instead he had shuffled his cards back into a neat pile, tucking them safely inside a small bag at his hip. He had pushed himself up off the street and dusted himself off, before finally turning back to look at Donghun.

 

“I’ve been expecting you, though you took quite a bit longer to find me than I initially thought. It’s nice to finally meet you Donghun.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, It's only been over a month since my last update... I'm sorry it's been so long T_T This past month has been crazy with the end of term, me starting my final term of university, and then moving cities. Plus a whole whack of some personal things I've been working through. But I'm finally back! I love this fic too much to abandon it don't worry. Hopefully I'll be able to update a little more frequently now that I'm more settled into my new place.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! In honour of A.C.E's comeback, here is a fic that I came up with ages ago, scrapped, and then revived when I realized I could make it work with the Alice in Wonderland references this comeback. Hope you all enjoy it~ leave me a comment letting me know what you think!
> 
> Scream at me on tumblr @georgieporgiepuddininpie


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